Best Business Smartphones 2015 (and Why We Love Them)

Whether you need a big display, stylus support or just something affordable, there's a great business smartphone for you. Read on for our top picks for 2015.

Best Overall Business Phone

Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung's Galaxy S5 is the most well-rounded business phone available. The device sports a supersharp 5.1-inch display that provides plenty of room to work, without being unwieldy. You also get fast performance, expandable internal storage via a micro SD card slot and a fingerprint scanner for added security. Plus, Samsung's version of the Android operating system, called TouchWiz, adds productivity-boosting features like split-screen multitasking. Enterprise users also get access to Samsung Knox, a mobile security system that helps keep your work data safe and secure on your personal smartphone.

Key features:

Fast performance

Fingerprint scanner

Split-screen multitasking

Expandable storage

Removable battery

Long battery life

Click here for a full review of the Galaxy S5 from Business News Daily.

Best Big-Screen Business Phone

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 is an exceptional business phone, but a device this large isn't for everyone. The phablet has a huge 5.7-inch display, which really comes in handy for using Samsung's split-screen multitasking feature. The Note 4's other standout feature is its excellent stylus support. Just pull the stylus from its slot to access the Action Menu, which lets you quickly jump to one of several handy note-taking applications. The pen even has a pressure-sensitive tip, to make writing on the screen feel more natural and accurate. And like the Galaxy S5, the Note 4 has a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button.

Key features:

Fast performance

Large display

Built-in stylus

Fingerprint scanner

Split-screen multitasking

Expandable storage

Removable battery

Long battery life

Click here for a full review of the Galaxy Note 4 from Business News Daily.

Best iPhone for Business

iPhone 6 Plus

If you love iOS, Apple's mobile operating system, then the iPhone 6 Plus is the best business phone for you. It sports a big, 5.5-inch display that dwarfs the cramped, 4-inch screen on other models, including the 4.7-inch standard iPhone 6. That's good for business users, since a large display gives you more space for screen-intensive tasks like viewing and editing large documents. The phone also offers blazing-fast performance and an excellent selection of business apps in the App Store. The Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button is also a big perk for security-minded business users. Plus, it has better battery life than any other iPhone model.

Key features:

Fast performance

Large display

Thin and light design

Long battery life

Fingerprint reader

iOS 8 operating system.

Click here for a full review of the iPhone 6 Plus from Business News Daily.

Best Android Phone for Business

Motorola Moto X (2nd Gen)

Want a pure Android experience in your business phone, without a lot of extra clutter? Motorola's 5.2-inch, second-generation Moto X isn't just the best smartphone for diehard Android fans; it's also packed with some productivity-boosting extras that other phones lack. That includes always-listening voice commands, so you can save a note, set a reminder or add a calendar appointment without ever touching your device. I also like Moto Display, which lets you view and act on alerts straight from the lock screen. But the best part is that the device is pretty affordable next to other flagship phones: just $99 with a two-year contract.

Key features:

Fast performance

Thin and light design

Touchless controls

Stock Android

Long battery life

Click here for a full review of the Moto X (2nd Gen) from Business News Daily.

Note: The upcoming HTC One M9 smartphone is a killer Android device with a premium metal design and excellent videoconferencing capabilities, thanks to its sharp front-facing camera and top-notch speakers. Stay tuned for our full review.

Best Compact Business Phone

Apple iPhone 5s

If you're fed up with phablets, Apple's iPhone 5s Compact might be the phone for you. Even though the company's new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus feature larger dimensions, Apple is still selling its last-gen model, which has a compact, 4-inch display. And even though it's more than a year old, this is still one of the best smartphones out there, with speedy performance and the best overall selection of productivity apps via Apple's App store. Plus, its excellent Touch ID fingerprint scanner gives you a security boost. This device doesn't offer as much screen space to work on as other phones, but its small size makes it feel much more manageable — especially if you have small hands.

Key features:

Fast performance

Thin and light design

Compact size

Fingerprint scanner

iOS 8 operating system

Click here for a full review of the iPhone 5s from our sister site Laptop Mag.

Best Battery Life Business Phone

Huawei Ascend Mate 2

If you absolutely need a business phone with the longest battery life available, Huawei's Ascend Mate 2 is it; the device lasted an epic 15 hours in our battery life test. But be warned: This is a seriously bulky device. Its monster 6.1-inch display makes it one of the biggest smartphones ever. On the bright side, that gives you tons of screen space to work on. The Ascend Mate 2 is also a relatively affordable phablet; you can buy it off-contract for under $300, with no need to sign a costly two-year agreement through a major wireless carrier. But the real highlight might be the No other smartphone currently offers that kind of longevity.

Key features:

Large display

Long battery life

Expandable storage

Click here for a full review of the Huawei Ascend Mate 2 from our sister site Laptop Mag.

Best Budget Business Phone

Motorola Moto G (2nd Gen)

Motorola's second-generation Moto G smartphone proves that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great business phone. The device offers a generous 5-inch display, fast performance and good battery life. Plus, it gives you gives you a clean Android experience, without a lot of useless extras. And you'll get all that for under $200 off-contract, with no need to sign a pricey two-year contract. It's true that the Moto G lacks some of the features of its more premium big brother, the Moto X, such as always-listening voice commands — but at this price, the Moto G is hard to beat.

Best Windows Phone for Business

HTC One M8 for Windows

Windows Phone isn't as well-known as its main competitors, Android and iOS, but the mobile operating system offers some nice features for business users. Right now, the platform's best phone is the awkwardly named HTC One M8 for Windows. The 5-inch device offers all the perks of the Android-powered HTC One M8, including a premium metal build, fast performance, long battery life and excellent speakers, which are a plus for videoconferencing and speakerphone use. And since it runs on Windows Phone, the device integrates natively with Windows and Microsoft Office, so all your files and documents are synced wirelessly.

Key features:

Fast performance

Long battery life

BoomSound speakers

Expandable storage

Windows integration

Click here for a full review of the HTC One M8 for Windows from our sister site Laptop Mag.

Editors Picks

Brett Nuckles

Brett Nuckles has been a working journalist since 2009. He got his start in local newspapers covering community news, local government, education and more before he joined the Business News Daily staff in 2013. He graduated from Ohio University, where he studied Journalism and English. Follow him on Twitter @BrettNuckles.